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Slideshow: Cat Survives Severe Chemical Burns

When ASPCA staffer Rena L. saw a veterinarian cradling a tiny animal in her arms, she wondered, “Is that a turkey? What’s a turkey doing at the ASPCA Adoption Center?”

Then she realized: The tiny animal was in fact a cat—one who had suffered severe chemical burns on her back, scalp and other parts of her body. Kylie’s ears were singed off, and she couldn’t walk or close her red and cloudy eyes.

“My heart was completely broken,” remembers Rena, ASPCA Adoption Center Department Coordinator. “Ever since that moment, I’d go visit her when I was done with my office work, for 30 minutes to an hour.”

Late last year, Kylie was found hiding behind some bushes, quietly suffering, when two dogs sniffed her out while out on a walk. The dogs’ pet parent took the first step toward saving Kylie’s life: He brought her to ASPCA Animal Hospital. But Kylie’s struggle was far from over, and our veterinary staff didn’t know if she’d pull through.

“It was really touch-and-go with Kylie because she’d lost so much skin,” recalls ASPCA veterinarian Dr. Patricia Wagner, who treated Kylie. “We didn’t know if she’d be able to blink, or walk, ever again.”

Kylie needed several surgeries, specialist care and extensive treatment for her injuries. She spent months at the ASPCA Animal Hospital, where everyone fell in love with Kylie and her sweet, patient personality. “Everyone knew who Kylie was,” says Dr. Wagner. “There were so many people here pulling for her. We didn’t want to fail.”

Then one day it was clear to our veterinarians that Kylie’s recovery had turned a corner—she was out of the woods. In fact, Kylie was ready to continue her recovery in a foster home. Rena’s was an obvious choice. Rena began fostering Kylie in February, eagerly taking on the medical regime her new foster kitty required: pain medicine, fish oil and eye drops, all twice a day on a rigid schedule. To protect Kylie’s burns and promote healing, Rena purchased her a T-shirt. When the shirt didn’t quite fit, Rena had it tailored.

Today, Kylie is an integral part of Rena’s family and fast friends with Lafaille cats Gizmo and Cleopatra, a Beagle called Maya, and Baby Jin, a four-and-a-half-pound Chihuahua who is her playmate and constant companion. Rena continues to work with Dr. Wagner on Kylie’s treatment, and they’re hopeful she won’t need medication one day.

“Kylie will never, ever give up no matter what,” Rena says. “It was her spirit that got her through this. She’s really an incredible cat.”

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Dear Rena and ASPCA, Thank you for saving her life and many other lives daily. you are giving so many a chance who need it most. all the animals depend on you because it seems you and some other animal lover on the world are the only people with heart, those people that save those animals when they see them have heart, those who don't , don't have heart. it's the same with if you saw a kid like that to, it's no different. i am a animal lover and own 30+ rescued animals at my house and am a aspca supporter. i tell people about your animals so they go adopt, thank you and god bless.

To the person(s) who so terribly hurt this sweet kitty....shame on you. May God judge you and discipline you as he sees fit. You are totally worthless to society. To Rena and ASPCA - wow, I commend you for a job well done. Your loving hearts go further out than just your walls of your own families. These animals are helpless and they depend on us for our love and compassion, not for neglect and abuse. They love us uncondtionally...it is my pleasure and an honor to love and care for them back. I stand and applaud you both for the ultimate sacrafice you gave and continue to give. I am a monthly donor of the ASPCA and to see stories as horrific as this is, then I know what I am doing is well worth it. If there is anything, I do mean anything I can do, please call on me. As the Lord Almighty will say in the end. Well done my good and faithful servant, well done. Well done, ASPCA and Rena, you are truly amazing !! Keep up the good work !!! My love and prayers are with you all.........

Terrific post, Sandy...AND the Lord Almighty is pleased that Rena and the staff took care of "HIS smallest of the small". It is a job we are to do on this earth - protect and care for HIS creatures and people that are in trouble, can't care for themselves.

me too. i'm not a violent person, but these pictures make me want to do something incredibly evil to the perpetrator of this crime. and yes, if the perp is caught, the couple of years' sentence he or she will get will surely be inadequate. when you consider that this criminal probably will go on to murder people (if he or she hasn't already), it's clearly in the best interests of all to catch this monster & punish him or her.

Humans absolutely disgust me. How can someone do this to a poor innocent furbaby. Ugh...it doesn't surprise me though. We live in a society that throw children away, poor animals don't stand a chance. I'm so glad that I have a lot of people around me who love and nurture their furries. I hope this poor little one gets better and finds someone who will treat her right. I would hope they find the creatures that did this to her, but the law won't do anything to them. They will fine them and slap their hands.

This is just one of the many reasons I have the automatic withdrawal of my $20.00 a month to the ASPCA. They are such a fantastic organization. Of all the groups to give to I feel that they do the most good in this sometimes heartless world. The people involved with this organization show me that we do still have heros and good people out there!!! Keep up the good work! And thank you for Kylie and thanks Rena for giving her a home!